Are Tattoo Machine Tubes Reusable?(Guide)

Are Tattoo Machine Tubes Reusable?

Tattoo machines are used to create a tattoo. The tool is usually powered by electricity and produces alternating current at high voltage. There are many types of tattoo machines on the market, each with unique specifications and features.

Yes! You can reuse stainless steel tattoo tubes if you have the materials to scrub and sterilize them correctly. Clean and sterilize tattoo tubes every time you use them. If you don’t, there’s a chance that you could transmit an infection from one person to another.

There are two material types that you can use for scrubbing and sterilizing tattoo tubes: An antibacterial soap or the alcohol-based liquid sold in tattoo shops.

You need to soak them for about 15 minutes, then rinse them well with water and allow them to air dry. If the tattoo tubes have a removable cap, clean the internal parts before removing them.

If you’re worried you won’t reuse the tattoo tubes, get rid of them. You can always tell if they are clean because they will not be tight-fitting.

If you are also dealing with metal tattoo equipment that’s not stainless steel, there’s no risk of passing infections from one person to another.

However, it would help if you use new gloves for each client, clean their skin well and use a fresh cap.

Disposable Tubes for Tattooing

Gorilla Xion 1.5″ Disposable Tattoo Grips — Box Of 24	This tube is ideal for use with the Spektra Xion tattoo machine for tattooing. The 1.5″ diameter disposable grip is nylon-made with a secure and comfortable round grip. The grips are soft and stretchable, making them easy to insert into the Xion machine with little effort.
USA Tattoo Grips – Box Of 100	This reusable grip is cloth-made, and you can treat it with a special glue coating, meaning it will not leave any residue on your skin or machine if you wipe it clean after each use. The grips are soft and stretchable, making them easy to insert into the Xion machine with little effort.
Overstock Classic Tube & Grip Sets — 1″ Black Disposable Grip — Box of 25	The tube boasts a rubber grip that is soft, stretchable, lightweight, and easy to handle. The tube is clear plastic with a 1″ diameter, which fits perfectly over the machine.
InkJecta Ergo Disposable Cartridge Grips in Black – Box of 10	The tube is ideal for flite tattoo machines and offers a secure grip while you work. The grip comprises a high-quality vinyl material to fit over your machine’s cartridge bar. It’s easy to insert and remove between each use.
One Box of 10 Morphix Humbolt Disposables	These grips are for single use only in a box of 10. Each grip comprises high-quality vinyl material to ensure comfort and durability. The grips are easy to insert, remove and clean between each use.

How To Choose the Best Tubes for Tattooing

First, you need to decide whether you want tubes comprised of aluminum or titanium. Aluminum is cheaper but erodes more easily.

Titanium is pricier and lasts longer but can irritate some people. Soak each tube for a minute in clean water before testing its warmth with your finger.

Test-gradient browns and blues to find the one closest to your skin tone for the best results.

You’ll need to decide between single-tube and multi-tube units. Single-tube trays cost less and fit on smaller tattoo machines, but they can be more tedious to deal with.

Multi-tube trays have larger wells, but you have to deal with the fact that you can only take out one tube at a time. The choice is yours.

The amount of pigment in the tubes matters. If you want more pigment, go for 36-tube trays. If you’d rather less, opt for the smaller 12-tube trays.

The price is much cheaper, and they can fit on most machines. In addition, different shading techniques will only yield the results you’re looking for if you use a tube with enough pigment.

There are tubes with caps and without caps. Tube trays with caps are less likely to spray pigment everywhere and are very sanitary.

Meanwhile, tube trays with caps will hurt your fingers when you change them out. Whichever you decide to do, keep in mind that the caps sometimes fit on the tubes precisely.

You’ll have to fill up spare space in the trays every so often, or you’ll end up with spaces left by caps that will only fit over a tube.

Can You Use Different Colors in One Tube?

Yes! You can use different colors of ink in one tube. As long as the tube is not damaged, this is possible for any color except white and transparent.

For example, a red, green, and purple tube would mix to give blue without adding more ink.

Some companies will use different colors in the same ink run so that they will be able to produce a greater variety of colors on their products without having to change their molds and manufacturing systems entirely.

The ink maker will determine the color and not the pen maker. Many ink manufacturers must disclose the colors they use in the same batch.

For example, you may see a pen product advertise that it is a “fine red.” Red is a mixture of three or four different colors.

However, some manufacturers may choose to print their inks. They may do this because they try to be more environmentally conscious or have a different color system than normal.

For example, an ink manufacturer may use blue as its primary ink but have a second family of colors with a green base. This will allow for more variety, but the colors may match differently.

There are some small variations in colors from what you see on paper to what you see on your computer monitor. Many variables affect the color of ink you use and the color printed out.

Remember, if you’re using a new ink tube or bottle, shake or stir it to ensure all the ink particles are evenly distributed.

Make sure you’re not getting more than one color in the same tube, but colors should mix to give a new color created from the mixture of the primary colors.

What Is the Diameter of a Tattoo Tube?

Most tattoo tubes are approximately 20mm in diameter, but the size will vary depending on how large and detailed your design is.

The larger the diameter of the tube, the slimmer it will be due to the amount of space it takes up in your hand.

Since a tattoo tube is inexpensive, you don’t have to purchase expensive tubes, no matter how big or small the tube is.

Most artists recommend getting a tattoo tube between 30mm and 45mm in diameter, as this will fit comfortably in your hand and give you room to draw.

Tattoo Tube	Dimensions in mm
Liners	10
Shaders	12, 10, 8 and 6
Flats	12
Weaved Magnum	Top Diameter: 5,0 mm. Underpart Diameter: 8,0 mm
Round magnum	0.35mm

Disposable Tattoo Tubes Vs. Stainless Steel

	Tattoo Tubes	Stainless steel
Weight	Disposable tattoo tubes are typically very light with a small width and height, making them easy to put in your pocket or bag.	Stainless steel tattoo tubes can weigh up to 20 times more than disposable tubes, making them harder to carry around.
Durability	Disposable tattoo tubes comprise rubber, plastic, and other materials that can break or crack over time and during use.	Stainless steel tattoo tubes comprise stainless steel and a sturdy silicone tube for a stronger, safer tattoo machine needle case.
Lines	Disposable tattoo tubes make thicker lines much worse for drawing, as they often clog up the needle.	Stainless steel tubes make more precise lines than disposable tubes because of lack of flexibility.
Grip	Disposable tattoo tubes have a rubber grip that keeps your hand in place and the needle stable.	Stainless steel tubes are smooth, which means your hand will slide up or down the needle, causing the needle to move around during tattooing.
Length	Disposable tattoo tubes are short and can feel uncomfortable when you have long fingers.	Stainless steel tubes are longer and more comfortable to hold on to.

Factors That Make A Disposable Tattoo Tube Good

Factors	Description
Ease of use	Disposable tattoo tubes are so easy to use that anyone can learn how to apply them in just a few minutes. Disposable tattoo tubes don’t have hard-to-use parts and are also incredibly easy to put on. Even if you’ve never put on a tattoo, these tubes are so simple that you’ll be able to figure it out immediately.
Safety	These disposable tattoo tubes are incredibly safe and even better than other alternatives because they contain no harmful chemicals. If you choose a disposable tattoo tube, you won’t have to worry about harmful chemicals damaging your skin. Disposable tattoo tubes have everything your skin needs to heal properly.
Convenience	Disposable tattoo tubes are incredibly convenient, and you can use them by just about anyone wanting to try out this application method. If you’re short on time and don’t have the time to put on a traditional tattoo, you can use these tubes, and they’ll still look like bold, colorful tattoos. These disposable tattoo tubes are more convenient for people who want to spend their time on something other than learning how to use the traditional method.
Easy to find	If you’re looking for a great disposable tattoo tube, you can get them at any local beauty store or health store. These tubes are incredibly easy to find and cost less than you expect. You can get these tattoo tubes for just a few dollars, which might not appear like a lot, but it can add up over time.
Different Designs	These tattoo tubes have so many designs that they’ll make any traditional tattoo look like a child’s drawing. The designs are more unique and vibrant than a traditional tattoo, giving it the drawing appearance of a professional artist. If you’re looking for something more decorative than very bold, these disposable tattoo tubes will give you exactly what you want.

How Do You Mix Colors in A Tattoo?

You can blend your inks by combining two colors to make a different color. The most important step of coloring is always to use high-quality ink.

You can achieve this by using a light box and a stencil. Most tattoo artists will also provide you with an instruction sheet to follow along while you are coloring.

However, they will only sometimes ask that you follow the steps exactly as written. Your colors must blend well and look smooth and natural.

You will also find that some artists will use different colored inks, such as black and brown, instead of blue and brown. Always ask the artist before you begin to see what they recommend.

As you can see, coloring is very simple when following a few basic steps. However, it is vital to remember that there are different techniques many tattoo artists use.

Some artists will use one or a few colors depending on the tattoo.

You may want your tattoo slightly darker than you had originally planned. Some artists will add a darker color to the side of the tattoo and then blend in a lighter color to balance it out.

Others might blend two different colors for additional contrast.

Multi-colored tattoos are easy as long as you blend your colors well. The best places to apply multi-colored tattoos are on the chest and the arms.

How Do I Make My Tattoos Flow Together?

To connect already existing tattoos into a sleeve, use background textures, colors, and clever filler tattoos to create a cohesive set of pieces that work together.

It’s important to consider each tattoo individually and understand the context of the sleeve as a whole. For example, you can use colorful shapes to fill in space and add a bit of life to your ink.

You could apply the same theme with different styles of tattoos as well. Along with planning out the individual pieces,

It’s also important to ensure that your sleeves are reasonably large enough for people to see each tattoo individually (or at least small enough so that people notice them when they look at your arm).

When you start planning the project, A sleeve at least 2-3 times the size of your intended tattoo is most suitable.

The idea here is to create something strong and memorable that’s big enough to notice but small enough for your skin tone to merge with it the way it should.

You don’t have to get a full sleeve. A single piece on your arm can be as impactful if done well. Remember that whatever you choose should be meaningful; that way, you can keep it forever.

How Far Out of The Tube Should A Tattoo Needle Stick?

The tip of the needle should not stick out any more than 2mm and no less than 1mm. This is because the needle is too deep in the tube, it can ruin your tattoo, and if the needle is not deep enough, it will cause bleeding.

The needle should also be at a 45-degree angle toward the skin’s surface. If it isn’t angled, it will cause more bleeding, and it will not fill the tattoo.

You should learn this at an early age because once you walk into a tattoo shop, the employee should have no problem explaining this, and if he doesn’t, find another shop to go to.

If not, ask him how deep he thinks you should go, and make sure you don’t ask him what will happen if you do.

Why Isn’t the Ink Staying in When I Tattoo?

Here are some reasons why the ink is not staying in when you tattoo:

-The needle is set too far out for that viscosity ink to penetrate. 

-You need to press the machine harder.

-You are pressuring the machine and grip a lot when tattooing. Then there is that famous problem with all tattoo machines, the needle not going in.

You can cause this problem by needing the correct needle in the machine. The correct needle is what you have to use with your style of tattooing.

If you use a thick needle for a light line, the needle will bend and break, or worse yet, jam.

-Need to have your vibrating motor set properly or erratically. You can cure this by having the proper vibration timing on the machine in question. Also necessary is the needle.

Its speed, length, and diameter will affect how much vibration you get on your machine.

-Need more ink in the machine. This will cause it to strain and lock itself up at times.

If you’re new to tattooing and learning how to tattoo your hands, you should lightly tap the machine on a hard surface if it locks in place when you try tattooing.

Conclusion

Disposable tattoo tubes are what you will find in the vast majority of tattoo shops. These are very inexpensive and will last for a large number of tattoos.

The quality of these tubes could be better than the name-brand tubes you buy from tattoo supply companies.